Gobi near the end of his life

[Paul B]

I thought I would document the life of one of my favorite fish. This gobi has been with me for I think about 12 years. When I got him he looked like the first picture. Yellow and skinny. As he grew a little I bought another one and they became inseperable. After a few months, they turned grayish brown and developed bright blue spots all over him and became almost colorful. After a few years they started to spawn and kept spawning all their life until the female died last year at about 11 years old.
The male who is just over 4" continued to be healthy until last week when I noticed he did not come out to eat and I had to feed him in his cave. Then I practically had to hand feed him and this morning, before the lights came on, I noticed him sleeping in the front of the tank. This fish never came to the front so I knew the end was near. Today he is refusing his favorite meal of clam even if I put it right in his mouth. I am pretty sure he is also blind.
I am not sure how long gobies live but I am quite sure this one is dying of old age. He has no paracites, torn fins or cloudy eyes and he can swim.
Except for the fact, he is no longer eating and is sitting in the front, he looks perfect. I think tomorrow will be his last day and if I could catch him I would remove him today because I am sure the bristle worms will grab him as he becomes weaker.
I will miss him. :frown:

A baby

Teenager with his main squeeze

Tending the eggs

Middle age

In morning for his sweetheart

Early this morning hanging out near the front glass.
This will be his last picture of him.

 

[estanoche]

Sounds like he had a great life with you Paul! May he go peacefully to the place all good fishies go .........

 

[WABlonde]

Awww. Sad. 12 years seems like a nice life! I certainly hope I can keep my Goby healthy and happy for that long.

 

[Paul B]

He died at 7:00pm tonight. I just watched him take his last breath.
Then I autopsed his gills to see if I could find any paracites because that is the best way to tell if you have any in your tank.
He had the gills of a teenager, who never smoke.
His gills were in perfect shape and I could not find one gill filimant out of place or even one paracite, which is strange.
But I know he died of old age and nothing else. There was no need to do a full autopsy

 

[user 26995]

Aww, Paul. So sorry for your loss. Brought tears to my eyes. Thats so great that you had them for that long.

 

[Paul B]

Thanks, nice fish, I will miss him. But I will also get more to replace them